More scientists are coming forward saying they are being gagged or pressured, the Association of Scientists says.

Late last year the association released a poll showing 40 percent of scientists surveyed felt they were not able to speak out on issues within their areas of expertise because of management policy or concern over losing funding.

Its president, Nicola Gaston, said since the survey was made public she had been approached by several scientists who have felt pressured or gagged.

Dr Gaston said the pressure on scientists was occurring in universities and Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), as pressure went on to raise more funding from industry.

I’t hard to argue that intimidation is not going on when the PM is openly contemptuous of scientists (that don’t suit his purposes), and the government sometimes attacks them (Mike Joy). It’s hard to argue that intimidation is not going on when the one of the worst offenders gets to boast about it in Metro:

He [Carrick Graham] was the probably the darkest character in Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics. A man who was paid to attack anyone who stood up to his wealthy inter­national sugar, tobacco and alcohol clients. A shadowy figure who fought behind the anonymity of social media and wrote some of the more virulent posts on his friend Cameron Slater’s Whale Oil blog site.
…
We’re sitting in Graham’s white, modern Parnell offices. There are some big-screen Mac computers, framed political cartoons, a set of vintage water skis and just around one corner an array of passport-sized photographs, stuck to the wall like a TV cop show operations room, linked by coloured thread. These are his current targets, complete with their affiliated organisations and their available budgets. Currently most of the photos relate to people linked to the HRC, the Health Research Council. This is the major funder on behalf of central govern­ment of biomedical, public health, Maori health and Pacific health research.

These are the people Graham is currently being paid to attack. But at the top of the mosaic is a single photograph with no organisation or budget attached. The man is Boyd Swinburn, Professor of Population Nutrition and Global Health at Auckland University. It depends which side you’re on, but this feels to me a little like James Bond and Dr Evil, locked in a battle for the hearts and minds of people like us – both literally and metaphorically.

Graham says Swinburn is a worthy adversary – and in this twisted world, that’s high praise indeed. Most of the other people stuck to the wall are, in Cameron Slater’s view, “troughers”, feeding off the public purse.

Read more of that piece if you have the stomach for it, very educational.

The Labour Party is urging the Government to set up an independent investigation into claims that many scientists feel gagged.

The Government is disputing the accuracy of a survey that has found 40 percent of scientists feel they can’t speak publicly about their field of expertise, either because they are forbidden to or because they fear losing funding.

Labour science and innovation spokesperson David Cunliffe said any silencing of scientists was insidious.

“Academics often feel suppressed from speaking openly about the results of their research if it’s going to rock the boat, shall we say, either for the university or the government.

“Academic freedom means that our scientists and our research should be able to state publicly the results of their research. And there’s a public good in that – that’s how we as a society get the facts and learn.”

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13 comments on “Gagging scientists”

I think we have to add to this the concern about cutting funding to doctoral students and the big push towards “targeted”, commercially-focused, research. Not a lot of regard for blue-sky thinking from this government…

And add the demolition of Arts in University in favour of what amounts to job training. Thanks to the ignorance of Steven Joyce.
I think that the clouding of science research has been ongoing for a few decades since the funding model was changed. Science became unable to follow interesting lines of research if it conflicted with the needs to follow the money.
Now add the muffling of scientists per this Government.
May as well turn to religious beliefs and hope.

Not just gagging but adequate funding for science. And who does taxpayer funded science serve in NZ?
Scientists have been talking about the backward attitudes that our government has to science in general, and investing in innovation and blue skies and properly disseminated publicly funded science available to the taxpayers.http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201759491
Morning Report Tuesday 23 June 2015
and
on Monday 22 June 2015http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201759337

People, like me, have been trying to get other people to simply LOOK at the evidence of this type of thing (high level SYSTEMATIC corruption) for a number of years. I have been ridiculed and called a “conspiracy theorist” many times.
Maybe one day many people will get real and realize this corruption is GLOBALLY INTERCONNECTED. Then again – I won’t hold my breath.
This is NOT just a National Party thing.

Those of you who want to know more, I’ll give you the BEST possible chance at grasping the situation through the following link.

The content in that link is your best chance at BEGINNING to understand how extensive and widespread, yet interconnected, the corruption is. Most people can’t see it because it’s too big. People need to take a look at the world from further back to gain an understanding of how much the corrupt politicians are basically ‘tools’ of the global elitists.

Enjoy the global control system everyone, it’s only tightening its grip. If you guys ever realize that a plan towards global control/domination is real, be sure to remember all the people you once called “conspiracy theorists”, because they will be the people (with DECADES of experience in researching the issue of ‘global domination’) that you go to for information in the future.

I would think that it isn’t only scientists but any professional or professional organisation that questions Government Policy. Teachers and education academics have been pretty much silenced and the Teachers Council has morphed into an institution that now includes unqualified teachers and all the controlling board are ministerial appointments. Solid, peer reviewed, educational research that does not support Government goals is rejected with all manner of spurious reasons. http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/tag/martin_thrupp

The same happens in the medical profession where Prof Doug Sellman has been heavily attacked for daring to talk about the dangers of alcohol and medical professionals are not trusted to determine priorities in the health sector. It will be interesting to see what is cut first in the Southern DHB under the commissioner when the real issue is the crazy population based funding in sparsely populated regions.http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/tag/doug-sellman/

I’m sorry guys, but your lack of self-awareness is astounding. You constantly push the 97% meme on Climate Change and then produce this blog post on scientists being gagged. What do you think happens to any scientist that doesn’t tow the Man-Made Climate Change line! What are the chances of them progressing academically. What are the chances of them getting funding. Maybe you’re now only realising why there’s only a few brave scientists prepared to speak out.

Mate, the minority of scientists who are prepared to say climate change isn’t real get well funded by the various industries that profit from pumping shit into our atmosphere. It’s a guaranteed way to get rich, or at least has been until recent times, when pretty much nobody takes them seriously any more and even the likes of BP are embracing reality.

In today’s NZ farmer there is a opinion from Jon Morgan blaming the flooding on deforestation but because he has photos from 1904 of a similar sized flood he seems to draw the conclusion the global warming isn’t happening. So there still plenty of them amongst use.
Can’t link from there online site sorry.

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In June 2018, Rawinia Higgins was appointed chairperson of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. She’s the first female and the first te reo Māori second-language speaker to hold the role, and during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, she sat down with The Spinoff to talk about her ...

Compulsory New Zealand history in schools is an exciting opportunity but it’s crucial we’re critical of the stories we tell ourselves, writes Dr Aroha Harris. History is not simply an assemblage of facts and evidence. History is also the interrogation of those things.This may be unsettling news for some, including the ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Senior Research Fellow, Moral philosophy, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Law Futures Centre, Griffith University Argument is everywhere. From the kitchen table to the boardroom to the highest echelons of power, we all use argument to persuade, investigate new ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alastair Blanshard, Paul Eliadis Chair of Classics and Ancient History Deputy Head of School, The University of Queensland Comedy often succeeds where tragedy fails. Fangirls, the pop musical which premiered on Thursday night in Brisbane, is not the first drama to explore ...

On the 10th anniversary of the infamous “Imma let you finish” episode, Josie Adams reflects on what this moment revealed about both Taylor Swift and Kanye West.Cast your mind back a decade: 2009 DJ Earworm was still good, Barack Obama was sworn in as president of the US, Israeli ground ...

Analysis - An astounding week in politics has left Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern carrying responsibility for sorting out the mess the Labour Party is in over the sexual assault allegation, writes Peter Wilson. ...

Police Minister Stuart Nash has confirmed details of a new bill that will create a registry of guns, and new offences and penalties for illegal manufacture, trafficking or changing markings of firearms. ...

Charli XCX has just released her latest album, Charli. The futuristic musician is always looking ahead, and so are her fans. We’ve paired each star sign with their perfect Charli XCX song.Charli XCX burst onto the scene in 2012, when she co-wrote and performed electro-pop headbanger ‘I Love It’ with ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benedict Sheehy, Associate professor, University of Canberra British health-care conglomerate Bupa runs more nursing homes in Australia than anyone else. We now know its record in meeting basic standards of care is also worse than any other provider. This is more than ...

Fable is best remembered for the disastrous, over-the-top promises made by its designer Peter Molyneux. But maybe, Adam Goodall argues, we’re remembering it all wrong.“There is something I have to say. And I have to say it because I love making games.” So opens an October 2004 post on the ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Senior Research Fellow, Moral philosophy, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Law Futures Centre, Griffith University Argument is everywhere. From the kitchen table to the boardroom to the highest echelons of power, we all use argument to persuade, investigate new ...

The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Native Son: The Writer’s Memoir by Witi Ihimaera (Penguin Random House, $40)Stand by for a review from ...

Tara Ward delved into Māori TV’s impressive OnDemand catalogue and found some of the best TV taonga for your viewing pleasure. From lifestyle shows to documentaries, from current affairs to reality TV, Māori TV has an abundance of quality telly that celebrates and acknowledges the people, places and cultures of ...

A new poem by London-based poet Morgan Bach.Turning, hurtlingI march diligently to sunshine in the parkeverything bathed and turning golden.A woman breathes fire by the folly framing herlike a personal door to hell. Conkers are pitched from high boughsto break and give up fruit, a spire emergent from the baring ...

Simon Day learns about the history and power of Chinese five-spice. Both the origins of Chinese five-spice and the flavour itself are a little mysterious. My internet investigations revealed the powder’s name could be in reference to the use of five spices (although this often grows to six or seven), or ...

Revelations around alleged sexual assault by a Labour staffer and the party inquiry into his behaviour have dominated the week. Alex Casey and Mihi Forbes join Gone By Lunchtime to survey the damage.Alex Casey, author of the Spinoff feature published on Monday, “A Labour volunteer alleged a violent sexual assault ...

In the fourth episode of Actually Interesting, The Spinoff’s monthly podcast exploring the effect AI has on our lives, Russell Brown speaks to Ana Arriola, general manager and partner at Microsoft AI and Research, about ethics and transparency in tech.Subscribe to Actually Interesting via iTunes or listen on the player below.To download this ...

Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Labour Party sexual assault allegations Andrea Vance (Stuff): How to make the Labour abuse scandal ...

Toi Kai Rākau Iti, who is running in the Eastern Bay of Plenty Kohi Māori constituency, encounters an unlikely channel of youth engagement.In te ao Māori you’re always looking for tohu, or symbols. They guide you through uncertain territory and help you make sense of the world. The arrival of ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomer Ventura, Senior Lecturer, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast The creation of all-male or all-female groups of animals, known as monosex populations, has become a potentially useful approach in aquaculture and livestock rearing. Researchers and those in ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Holmes, Director, Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Predictably, both major political parties are resisting calls this week for a parliamentary conscience vote to declare a climate emergency in Australia. The resistance is unsurprising because both the Coalition and Labor ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Shi, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business and Law, RMIT University If the Religious Discrimination Bill passes into law, women may find it harder to get an abortion. That’s because health practitioners with an objection to performing the procedure on religious grounds ...